Dresses that ruled the 1920's
1-Chanel’s Little Black Dress
VOGUE’s October,1926 cover showed a drawing of a woman posing in pumps,pearls,a cloche and a long sleeved black dress belted to a low waist. VOGUE called it “Chanel’s Ford” reffering to the at-the-time insanely popular Model T.
In the Victorian and the Edwardian era that preceded the 20’s, black clothes were more linked with the clothing of the servants or mourning but this dress helped to disassociate black from mourning.
Like many other conventions of the World before World War 1, Chanel’s nontraditional approach to women’s wardrobes made her famous and the simple, elegant yet sexy LBD was accepted and famous amongst the women of all social classes. The LBD possesses what so many want to achieve with their style: effortless elegance. Effortless elegance seems like a paradox,its because it is!!!
In my opinion, the colour BLACK holds so much significance! BLACK is abstract, unconventional, mystic, beautifully enigmatic…BLACK has language. BLACK is a religion on its own. You can’t go wrong in black! Black imbues contradictory censory associations. It is severe, seductive, demure & raven, posh & descreet, austere & chic.
While I am writing this,I remember the quote said by Coco Chanel- ‘Scheherazade is easy. A Little Black Dress is difficult’
As the LBD was released in the Great Depression era, where simple and affordable was key. Later, during the war, textiles and fabrics were rationed, and the simple black dress remained the outfit of choice, as you could be elegant without breaking the bank.
It continued to be popular in the Hollywood for more practical reasons: as Technicolor films became more common, filmmakers relied on little black dresses since other colors looked distorted on screen and botched the coloring process.
LBD IS TIMELESS!
Acoording to me if there’s one article of clothing that most women including me can count on in their closets- it’s the LITTLE BLACK DRESS! From Hollywood red carpets to fashion collaborations LBD is a tried-and-true look!
Its’s the most versatile piece of clothing that can be switched up with accessories & is universally flattering at the same time. It makes one look immediately put together! You can spice it up with glam gold jewels & stilettos or keep things classic with pearls and flats. LBD is the dress that gives the women reason to shine and walk in confidence.
Whether you have one in your closet or are shopping around for more, you can never have enough LBD’s in your closet! Go ahead and shop!
Here are the pictures I took while my classmates were presenting about the couture designer GABRIELLE BONHEUR CHANEL, where one of my classmate was dressed in a LBD.
“A WOMAN WITHOUT A LITTLE BLACK DRESS HAS NO FUTURE”
- COCO CHANEL
BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES
2- FLAPPER DRESS!
After the first World War(1914–18) women’s dress became more mannish. Narrow boyish hips were preferred. Free from moral & physical constraints of the previous decades,the roaring twenties will forever be remembered as the decade of flappers.
A flapper had short sleek bob cut hair along with cloche hat, a shorter than average shapeless shift dress, a chest as flat as a board, wore make up , smoked with a long cigarette holder, drank alcohol, drove automobiles, exposed their limbs.
Women wanted to be men’s social equals. The rise of consumerism promoted the ideals of “fulfilment and freedom”which encouraged women to think independently about their garments, careers & social activities.
The French called the flapper fashion style the ‘garçonne’
STOCKINGS
Until the end of World War I women wore black wool stockings. And by the 1920’s stockings with patterns were hot fashion items. Embroidery snaked around the ankles and up to the knees. Flesh and soft pastel colours were popular. Stocking colours were Honey Beige, Teatime, Rose Morn, Boulevard and Spanish Brown.
FOOTWEAR
In the 1920s footwear became an essential fashion accessory. While you can pair a plain set of black heeled pumps and be accurate to the decade, you will look even more smashing if you wear a pair of Mary Jane (one center strap) or T-strap heels.
DANCE
The roaring ’20s dances were wild and carefree and epitomised the spirit of a reckless rebel who danced the nights away. “Charleston,” Black Bottom” and “Shimmy” dances that took over dance floors in the roaring ’20s.
The roaring 20’s was the generation of young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous.These women pushed barriers in economic, political and sexual freedom for women and changed the traditional role of women in society forever.
POPULARITY IN TODAY’s TIME
The flapper dress is still popular today, just the way of styling and designing has changed a bit!! It’s seen in Hollywood, Bollywood & even common girls are rocking the modern version of this dress!
In the below picture its me in a flapper dress, for my history class presentation!!
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
SMRUTI GUPTA, FBM 2018–19 STUDENT AT ISDI.
BLOG FOR THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF FASHION BUSINESS.
SUBJECT TEACHER- BELINDA BAWA.
